According to recent reports by the CDC, approximately 14 million Americans aged 12 years and older have self-reported visual impairment defined as distance visual acuity of 20/50 or worse.
That’s not all! Out of the estimated 61 million adults in the United States classified as being at high risk for serious vision loss, only half of them actually visited an ophthalmologist in the past 12 months!
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
With every passing year, the number of people suffering from vision problems is increasing exponentially due to different reasons that range from loss of flexibility of distance vision to aging vision. While the culprit is partly aging, a major reason is the modern, sedentary lifestyle.
Constant working on computers, binge-watching TV series, use of fluorescent lighting, air conditioning, and lack of exercise – all of these habits exert additional strain on your eyes and cause blurry vision. So break your poor vision habits and start exercising for overall health because that will not only help you stay fit but also keep several eye diseases away.
Whether you want to prevent your eyesight from getting worse or don’t want to wear glasses shortly, following these eye relaxation exercises will dramatically improve your vision and reduce eye strain:
8 Top Effective Eye Exercises To Improve Eyesight
1. Blink Your Eyes More Often
Continued exposure to digital devices such as TV screens and the use of computers for extended periods leads to dry eyes and dry eyes cause headaches, eye strain, and blurry vision. When the eyes are absorbed in the screen, the blink rate drops from 20bpm to 6-8bpm.
So the next time you feel the eye strain, consciously blink your eyes and it will lubricate the eyes while refreshing your brain to process new visual data more efficiently. Additionally, you can breathe deeply to reduce overall stress and improve your focus.
2. Palm for Relaxed Vision Therapy
This is a highly effective eye relaxation technique that you can use every time your eyes feel tired and worn.
All you need to do is sit comfortably and cup your hands over the socket of your eyes to apply gentle pressure. Keep your eyes closed and stare into the dark space while staying focused in the distance. Hold the pressure till you see all the residual tones fade to black.
This eye relaxation exercise will work to reset your vision, lubricate your eyes, and allow your eyes to rest and relax from eye fatigue. Do this exercise for at least 30 seconds and relieve the stress around your eyes.
3. Trace an Eight
This eye exercise will increase the flexibility of your eye muscles and improve your vision. Visualize a gigantic 8 almost 10 feet away from you and turn it on its side. Now sketch it with your eyes slowly for a few minutes – first clockwise and then anticlockwise. Be perseverant with this and it will help maintain clear vision and reduce eye fatigue.
4. Roll Your Eyes
To perform these types of eye exercises, slowly roll your eyes to the right and then slowly shift your gaze to the left. Keep doing the same thing but in opposite directions. Then move your gaze in different directions by looking from right to left and then up and down and in a circular motion. You can also draw geometric figures with your gaze. Repeat the process of eye-rolling five to ten times.
5. Follow the 20-20-20 rule
To keep your eyes from getting tired at work, take a 20-second break every 20 minutes and focus on something that is located at least 20 feet away from you. This exercise helps prevent digital eye strain and eye damage in the long run, and it also relaxes your facial muscles, providing overall relief.
6. Focus on Objects Near and Far
People with glasses often get lethargic at gazing and this is a major reason they fail to maintain healthy vision. To do the near and far focus exercise you need to sit in a comfortable position, take off your glasses, and hold one of your thumbs close up and the other at your arm’s length.
Start by focusing on your thumb held close up, followed by the one that’s at your arm’s length, then focus on something that is sitting across the room, and finally on a distant object that is far away like across the road.
While you do this eye exercise make sure, all four points are situated along the same line of sight so the change in focus is subtle. Spend 2 seconds on every object and try to obtain a clear image of every item.
Doing these kinds of eye exercises like near-far focus to improve eye comfort will relax your eyes.
7. Do the Clock Exercise
This exercise helps your tired eyes feel better and can stop headaches and eye pain.
Picture a big clock in front of you. Move your eyes to where 6 would be then to where 12 would be without moving your head
Next, move your eyes to the opposite pairs on the clock — 3 and 9, 4 and 10, 5 and 11, and so on. Look at each number for a second or two before moving to the next one. Do this for 4-5 minutes to alleviate eye strain.
8. Zooming
Start by holding your thumb and index finger together in a “pinch” gesture at arm’s length. Bring your finger and thumb slowly up to your face, focusing on your thumb’s tip until it gets hazy. Then, slowly return your arm to its maximum length while keeping your thumb in focus. Ten times through, repeat this workout.
Doing these eye exercises for several minutes every day will strengthen your eye muscles and improve your overall eye health naturally but the best way to be really sure that your eyes stay healthy is to visit an eye care professional regularly.
Book an appointment with an ophthalmologist in Fresno today to find eye diseases early on and prevent long-term vision problems.
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
It’s crucial to take care of your eyes at any point in life, but more so as you get older. It’s common knowledge that men and women are prone to developing common eye disorders and diseases with advancing age. However, research shows that the latter group may be at higher risk.
Let’s look at how age affects your eyes, how to maintain healthy vision for women, and why regularly visiting an ophthalmologist in Fresno (or your local area) is so important.
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
Did you know that your eye health is a crucial indicator of your overall health? Ophthalmologists can through a comprehensive eye examination reveal a lot more about your physical health than just vision problems. Read here to know how.
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
A majority of us are guilty of ignoring sore and irritated eyes. While the ‘staying fit’ wave has engulfed most of us, eye health remains the most neglected aspect of our physical fitness. Sore, painful, and red eyes may all be indicators of a more serious problem other than mere eye strain. They may be indicators of the Dry Eye Syndrome.
Dry eye syndrome is a condition in whereby the tear ducts don’t produce enough tears to maintain the normal level of lubrication. This eye health issue is related to dehydration because the eyes lose their ability to make tears. An adequate and consistent layer of tears on the surface of the eyes is vital for the normal functioning of your eyes. If neglected for long, this may turn into a chronic syndrome.
Let’s understand the various symptoms, treatment options, and how you can prevent this eye health issue with the help of some simple yet effective tips.
Symptoms of Dry Eye
Sore Eyes
Pain and irritation in the eyes
Burning or a constant urge to scratch
Redness
Light sensitivity
Watery eyes
Blurred vision
Problems with wearing contact lenses
Treatment Options
Here are some of the dry eye treatments which your eye doctor might prescribe:
Use of OTC artificial tear solutions can help manage mild cases of dehydrated eyes. Choose preservative-free solutions as they contain minimal additives, which can irritate your eyes. It is, however, the least effective of all the dry eye treatments, and you may need to supplement it with additional options to completely treat dehydrated eyes.
Conserving tears is another treatment option that can help reduce the symptoms of dry eyes. The tear ducts are blocked temporarily or permanently, depending on the severity of your case, to retain the available tears in the eyes for a longer period, thus reducing the dryness in your eyes.
You may also be prescribed eye drops that boost tear production.
If you are suffering from ocular surface inflammation, your ophthalmologist might prescribe ointments, warm compresses, eye drops, eyelid cleaners, or lid massage which helps reduce the inflammation.
Tips for Prevention
Here are some simple yet effective tips to help prevent your eyes from drying out.
The simplest solution is to drink plenty of water. This will avoid dehydration and in turn keep your eyes from drying out.
Make a conscious effort to blink more frequently. This is crucial especially for those who work with digital screens. Blinking less results in or worsens the dry eye syndrome.
Take frequent breaks while working on digital screens for long hours. Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 seconds, look away from your screen and look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This will help protect your eyes from digital strain.
Always wear good-quality sunglasses when stepping out in the sun. This will protect your eyes from dry winds and harmful UV rays. Give preference to the wrap-style frames as these will give maximum protection against wind, dust, and any other irritants that may cause or make the dry eye syndrome worse.
In terms of nutrition, you can add fish such as salmon and sardines to your diet. The nutrients in fish oil can help relieve dry eyes.
Make it a point to clean your eyelids when you wash your face before going to bed. You can use a warm compress or pre-moistened eyelid wipes available in the market to clean away the bacteria that may cause meibomian gland problems, which leads to dry eye syndrome.
Those who wear contact lenses need to be more careful, as it may be difficult to gauge whether the dry eye condition is causing contact lens discomfort or the lenses are causing dry eyes. So, if you are wearing contacts and experience dry eyes, its best to discontinue wearing them while your eye treatment is in progress. You can also ask your eye doctor for LASIK eye surgery. It’s an almost painless vision correction surgery that helps you see your best.
If you, too, are experiencing blurred vision or other symptoms of dry eye for a long now, get in touch with us at InSight Vision Center in Fresno, CA, today. Our team of professionals will help you with every query and vision-related problem you might have.
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
Your organs tend to get weaker and lose their functionality as you age, and eyesight is no exception to this rule. As you grow older and your eyesight weakens, you become susceptible to infections, cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degenerative eye diseases. Though we’re aware of this fact, what we don’t realize is that our habits also affect our eye health significantly.
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
A healthy vision is essential for the development of every child. A weak vision or eye problems will affect a child’s learning ability and personality, in addition to changing his/her ability to tackle school work. The next time you take your child for a health check-up, make sure you include eye tests too.
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
Did you know diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United States? According to the 2017 Diabetes Statistics Report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are about 30.3 million people with diabetes which equals almost 9.4% of the US population. The numbers for pre-diabetes indicate that 84.1 million adults (33.9% of the adult U.S. population) have pre-diabetes, including 23.1 million adults aged 65 years or older.
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in three people with diabetes, who are older than age 40 already, have some signs of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of vision loss in people with diabetes.
Studies also found that patients with diabetes are also twice as likely to develop Glaucoma and cataracts. This happens because elevated sugar levels in your body lead to a higher amount of blood glucose, thus putting your eye at risk. If you are suffering from diabetes, then you must take a look at the following methods and protect yourself and your vision from the ill-effects of this disease:
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
According to Blindness America, in its report titled “Vision Problems in the United States: Prevalence of Adult Vision Impairment and Age-Related Eye Disease in America”, women are more prone to vision problems than men. The report states that women are at higher risk for eye disease after the age of 50, especially:
Women form the majority of Americans over 40 with visual impairment or blindness
25% of women have not had an eye exam in at least 2 years
5% of women believe men are at greater risk of permanent vision loss
86% believe the risk is equal for men and women
Less than 10% understand that they are at greater risk
7 Eye Care Tips for Women
To protect your eyes and reduce the risk of vision loss, here are eye care tips for women:
Understand Potential Risks – Obesity, diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, autoimmune disorders, and thyroid problems increase the risk of eye disease. Know your family’s medical history. If vision loss, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts or glaucoma are common, you may have inherited these problems. Exercise regularly and get regular medical checkups if you’re overweight, since obesity can lead to diabetes and other conditions that affect eye health.
Get the Right Nutrition – A balanced diet plays an essential role in women’s health, but certain foods are known to boost eye health as well. For instance, spinach, kale, broccoli and other dark green leafy vegetables are loaded with lutein. This antioxidant may help protect against AMD, the leading cause of blindness. Other antioxidants such as vitamin C, E and A, minerals and Omega 3 fatty acids are also essential for eye health.
Wear Protective Eyewear – Your eyes are extremely delicate, so it’s essential to protect your eyes from excessive UV exposure, accidents and other damage. Wear sunglasses that block out 99-100% of both UVA and UVB rays, to reduce the risk of cataract and eye tumors. You should also wear protective eyewear to avoid eye injury while playing sports, swimming, cleaning with strong chemicals, or working with sharp tools.
Care for Contact Lenses – A lot of women prefer to wear contact lenses instead of glasses, usually for aesthetic reasons or comfort. If you’re a contact lens wearer, follow a proper routine for cleaning, removing and replacing your lenses. Poor hygiene or over-wearing lenses can cause corneal scarring, which may lead to blindness. You can also opt for Lasik refractive surgery to get rid of both glasses and contact lenses permanently.
Be Careful with Makeup – If you use eye makeup regularly, remove it at the end of the day. Sleeping with makeup on can clog your tear ducts or trap dirt and bacteria, leading to scratches, eye disease, and a host of other problems. Using eyeliners, mascaras and eye shadows past their expiry date can also cause eye irritation, allergic reactions and eye infection, so throw away old makeup and avoid sharing cosmetics with others.
Watch for Vision Problems – Hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause can also affect your vision. For instance, water retention can cause a change in your number or power, as well as puffy eyelids or dry eyes when you’re pregnant. Dry eyes are also common during menopause, along with redness or heaviness in the eyes or eyelids. Be aware of changes that may occur as you get older, and get a checkup if you face any problems.
Get an Eye Exam Regularly – A comprehensive eye exam can help you prevent eye disease, eye infection and even vision loss, since early detection and treatment keep minor problems from turning into serious health concerns. Dilated eye exams may help with early detection of diabetes, high blood pressure and other medical conditions as well. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, get an eye exam every 1-2 years, and annually after the age of 50.
Women are caregivers, often looking after the family’s wellness before their own. However, it’s equally crucial to care for your own vision and health, so you can continue to care for your loved ones. Head to InSight Vision Center for a comprehensive eye exam today!
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns. He blogs to inform readers about the latest eye care technology and other topics related to eye care, especially LASIK.
